A Necessary Admonition out of the Prophet Joel, Title page – Dedication
A Neceſſarie Admonition out of the Prophet Joël, concerning that hand of God that of late was upon us, and is not clean taken of as yet: and otherwiſe alſo verie fitlie agreeing (in divers good points) unto theſe dayes wherein wee live.
By Edm. Bunny.
PROVERB. 15.32.
He that refuſeth to be reformed, deſpiſeth his own ſoule: but he that ſubmitteth himſelf to correction, is vviſe.
JACOB. 4:8, 10.
Draw neere to God; and he will draw neere to you: Caſt down your ſelves before the Lord; and he will lift you up.
Imprinted at London by Robert Robinſon, for Thomas Man, and Thomas Gubbins. 1588.
TO THE MOST Reverend father in God, his verie good Lord, IOHN, by the providence of God, Archbiſhop of Canterburie, one of her Maiesties most honorable Privie Counſell, Primate of all England and Metropolitane.
IN what ſort this land of ours was lately viſited by the hand of the Lorde for two yeares together with vnſeaſonable weather, & ſo conſequently with ſome ſcarcitie then, although to ſay the truth it was nothing ſo grievous as heretofore our elders hauehave had, and others then felt, as it was reported: yet was it ſo evident and plaine in it ſelfe, that I ſhall not neede to ſtande to ſhew what it was, or how far we were all generally touched therewith: but eſpecially thoſe that were the poorer ſort among us. Our owne experience for that matter was ſuch, that whoſoever woulde goe about to make any farther demonſtration of it, might verie well ſpare his labour therein. But whereas in ſuch caſe ſome other way there is, wherein we might bee fruitfully occupied, and to verie good purpoſe, and ſo as the nature of the thing it ſelfe doth require: therein whoſoever could rightly and orderly imploy his labour, he might be able thereby to diſcharge ſome part of his duetie, and doe a peece of good ſervice to God, and his countrey.
That other way I take to bee eſpecially this: that we acknowledge the ſame to bee ſent of God; and therewithall, that ſó we be touched therewith, as in ſuch caſe doth appertain. In which becauſe. I did not then know (nor yet doe) that others did labour, therefore the laſt yeare, I did endevour mee ſelf to ſet downe ſomewhat thereof: which alſo I finiſhed as is pleaſed the Lord to bleſſe me therein. And to the end that I might ſafelier doe it, without offending on either ſide, either on the right hand, or on the left, I ſawe no better way then to take ſome text of Scripture, ſuch as belonged to this kinde of argument, and out of it to derive ſome ſuch inſtruction as the text it ſelfe ſhoulde naturally yeeld. So did I take the Prophet Ioel, and out of him framed this Admonition, that thén I praeſented your Grace withall. But ſeeing that ſince it hath beene ſtayed (I wote not by what ſinister meanes) by one that undertooke the printing of it, & now of late it is come to my hands again, although that in ſome reſpect it may ſeeme to come out of ſeaſon now: yet becauſe that in others it doth not (nor but little in that) I thought it my dutie again to praeſent your Grace therewith.
Which thing the leſſe that it is in it ſelfe (in reſpect of any thing therin that is mine) the leſſe bould I ought to have beene, both at the firſt and now alſo to have offered the ſame, unto ſo grave and learned a cenſure. But ſeeing that it pleaſed your Grace to accept of it then; I might not turn it an other way now; especially, when as the nature of it in my iudgement is ſuch, as that before I thought mee ſelf bound, and yet do, in order and duetie to make it yours. And ſo beſeeching your Grace to pardon, both my former bouldnes therein, and the renuing of it now again, I humblie praie that Almightie God the father of lights & only fountain of all good graces, of his great and infinite merciemercy, for the glorie of his holie name, and in the face of his Annointed, would vouchſafe ſo to viſit us from above by his Holie Spirit, that we maie be in ſuch ſort touched, with this his gentle and gracious warning, and ſo ſeeke vntounto him while it is time, that we provoke no heavier diſpleaſure, but maie attaine to his further mercies, and euer ſtand in his gracious fauour. From Bolton-Percy, Aprill. 6. 1588.
Your Grace moſt humble in the Lord, Edm. Bunny.